Loading and unloading elevator platform for vehicles



H. J. SYATSKY LOADING AND UNLOADING ELEVATOR PLATFORM FOR VEHICLES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 14, 1950 Filed Oct. 11; 1 946 INVENTOR. Hen/ Sais GZMMO Nov. 14, 1950 H, SATSKY 2,530,341

LOADING AND UNLOADING ELEVATOR PLATFORM FOR VEHICLES Filed 001. 11, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ohvfiwa gou A T TOQNE Y5 H. J. SATSKY Nov. 14, 1950 LOADING AND UNLOADING ELEVATOR PLATFORM FOR VEHICLES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 F'iled Oct. 11. 1946 INVENTOR. r g 7.5cz.fsr 9 Hen O24,

Patented Nov. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOADING AND UNLOADING ELEVATOR PLATFORM FOR VEHICLES 4 Claims.

This invention relates to loading and/or unloading platforms, and more particularlyto such platforms used in combination with automotive vehicles or trucks and operated from the hydraulic brake system of said vehicles.

One object of the invention is to provide an automotive vehicle or truck with a hydraulically operated platform, the use of which will greatly enhance the loading and unloading of said vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a platform which when not in use may be folded in inoperative position in or at the doorway of the vehicle, from which position it may readily be unfolded for use and, when loaded or otherwise, lowered to any desired position between the level of the truck floor and sidewalk or other level.

Still another object is to provide means for easily lifting and lowering said platform.

A further object is to produce a device of the character described in which the maximum simplicity of construction and operation is secured.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the nature of the improvements is better understood, the invention consisting substantially in the novel arrangement and co-relation of partsherein fully described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters are used to describe corresponding parts throughout the several views, and then finally pointed out and specifically defined and indicated in the appended claims.

The disclosure made the basis of exemplifying the present inventive concept suggests a practical embodiment thereof, but the invention is not to be restricted to the exact details of this disclosure, and the latter, therefore, is to be understood from an illustrative, rather than a restrictive standpoint.

In carrying out the objects of the present invention, it was found advantageous to provide a pair of spaced apart cylinders in each of which there is slidably mounted a piston to the lower end of which there is pivotally secured one side of a platform foldable between said pistons when not in use. It was further found advantageous to connect the said cylinder with the hydraulic system of the vehicle and provide simple means for operating said platform for up and down movement.

The construction and operation of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmental perspective view of a motor truck showing the platform of the present invention as applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a part elevational and part sectional view Of the device looking from the left of Figure 1 with the platform in lowermost or sidewalk position; Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmental elevational view showing the platform in folded inoperative position;

Figure 5 is a sectional view at an enlarged scale taken along line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of the hydraulic operating system, and

Figure 7 is a detail view of the oil and air valve operating means. 1

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral Ill indicates a motor truck which may be provided at the side thereof with a doorway l I closed by a door [2. Positioned at or near the doorway H are a pair of spaced apart cylinders 23 secured to the floor [4 of the truck by means of suitable brackets [5. In addition to the brackets l 5 channels I6 may be secured to the sides of the truck for bolstering the said cylinders l3. The cylinders l3 are closed at the top by screwthreaded caps IT.

A pipe line I8 at the top of the cylinders enters or connects at each end thereof vertical tubes [9 secured to the caps l! by nuts 20. The tubes l9 pass through the cylinders l3 and enter into the interior of hollow cylindrical pistons 21. The said cylindrical pistons are each closed at the top by a screw cap or gland 22 through which the tube l9 passes, the said gland having suitable packing 23 therein to make a liquid tight joint where the tube l9 passes through the gland 22. The bottom of the tubes l9 are each closed by a plug 24 and are provided with external threads for the reception of a pair of nuts 25-26 between which is supported a piston formation 21 comprising suitable rings 28 and 29, the said tubes being provided above said piston rings with openings or orifices 30.

A loading platform 3| is pivotally and foldably supported on and between the cylindrical pistons 2!. The said platform 3! comprises a base 32 having lateral flanges 33 and 34. The said base terminates at the rear thereof in a tubular hinge portion 35 pivotally supported on a hinge pin or rod 36 supported at the bottom of the cylindrical pistons 21 (see Figs. 2 and 3). The platform 3| is supported at the front of its sides by means of pivoted pairs of links 3'! and 38. The

links 3l are pivotally connected at one end to the flange 33 and at the opposite end to a bracket 39, and the pivotal links 38 are similarly connected to the flange 3d and to a bracket 69 similar to bracket 39. The brackets 39 and 49 are secured to the side edges defining the doorway. When in the folded position shown in Figures 4 and 5, the platform may be bolted or releasably locked inposition by means of identical bolts 3! and :12 which pass through respective ears or lugs i3 and 6% on the underside of the platform base $2 and through holes 85 in the respective brackets 39 and 49. When in locked. position the bolts are prevented from disengagement by means of rubber blocks 48 on the said base 32, one at the rear of each bolt.

The side flanges 33 and 39 are each provided near their outer or forward ends with a slot 49 and a notch 41. The slots 46 are for the purpose of receiving trunnions 98 which act as pivots for an auxiliary base board 99 and the notches 47 are provided for the reception of latching projections or pins 56 on the side edges of the board 99 for releasably maintaining the said board perpendicular to the base 32, as shown in Figure l.

In. the Figure position, the auxiliary base board 49 is shown as having been pulled up in the slot 66 until the projections 523- are out of engagement with the notches ll and the board has been revolved until it is flat against the base 32 and the projections or pins 59 are in clearance slots 5| provided for this purpose in the flanges 33 and as.

It will be seen from the drawings that the platform is so supported that when in folded position it is clear of the doorway side edges and will in no way interfere with the closing of the truck door l2-f.

To swing the platform 3'! into the loading or unloading position shown in Figure l, the bolts M are revolved until the depending portions Ma are out of engagement with the blocks 46 and are then withdrawn from looking engagement with the brackets 39 and =52, at which time the platform is free to be swung outwardly or unfolded as shown in said Figure l. The auxiliary board 49 is then swung out of its folded Figure 5 position and. latched in position as shown. In the full line Figure 5 position the auxiliary board is used as an inclined plane or ramp to enhance the loading or unloading of the platform.

The cylinder and piston arrangement [3 and 2| may be connected to the hydraulic; system used to operate the brakes of the vehicle. This may be accomplished by means of a pipe line 55 which branches off the pipe line 58 and extends to the oil tank 56, and by connecting the air tank 51 of the hydraulic system to the oil tank 56 by means of a pipe line 5 359 and an air valve Bil" in the said lin 58-59; An oil valve BI is provided in the oil pipe line 55;

It is to be understood that when the platform 3| and hollow pistons 2| are in the upper or full line Figure 1 position, the inner boresof the said pistons 2! are full of oil between the piston formation 21 and gland 22. If now it is desired to lower the platform from the full line Figure 1 position to the dotted or lower Figure l or full line Figure 3 position, an angular projection A of a key or handle 92 is inserted into a depression 83 of a shaft E4 journalled in the side walls of the truck or vehicle 19, the said open end of the shaft protruding through the truck wall Illa (see Fig. l) By turning the key to the left or in the direction of arrow 65, a crank 66 will depress 4 a lever 6! pivoted at B9 on a bracket 69 and depress the spring controlled stem H3 of the oil valve 6i to open same to permit the oil in the cylindrical piston to return to the oil tank 56. It will be understood that with the oil valve 6| open, the weight of the platform either alone or with its contents will cause the pistons 21 to move down and force the oil therein to pass through openings 3.0 up into the tubes I9 and out through pipe lines l8 and 55 into the tank 56. Any air in the tank will be displaced by the said oil and forced out through the line 59 and exhaust outlet fisa of the air valve 60.

To move the platform upwardly from its lowered position, the shaft 64 is rotated towards the right or in the direction of arrow 65a of Fig. 7. The turning of the shaft towards the right opens the oil valve 6! as before and also opens the air valve 59 by means of the lever arm H on shaft 64, chain 12 and air valve handle or lever arm '53, to admit air into the oil tank 56 and force the oil therein to flow through pipe lines 55l 8 down through tubes 49, through holes 38 and into cylindrical pistons 2| and force same up. When the platform is at its desired level the valves are shut off by rotating the shaft from right to left to normal position.

An air vent i5 is provided in each of the caps H to permit the escape of air from the cylinders 13 as the cylindrical pistons 24 move upwardly in said cylinders.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides means whereby the loading or unloading of trucks is greatly facilitated and expedited.

It is apparent that the specific construction shown above has beengivenby way of illustration and not by way of limitation, and that the structure above described is subject to wide variation and modificationwithout departing from the scope or intent of theinvention, all of which variations and modifications areto be included within the scopeof the" present invention.

What is claimed-is:

1. In a hydraulic system including a liquid tank under air pressure control; a device of the nature described, saiddevice comprising a pair of spaced apart vertically disposed cylinders, a slidable hollow cylindrical piston in each of said cylinders, a pipe line connected" to the liquid tank and the interior of the hollow pistons, means for controlling the flow of liquid under pressure from the liquidtank to the hollow pistons and'back to the tank for moving said hollow pistons up and down in the said cylinders, said means comprising a normally closed liquid valve in the pipe line, anorinally. closed air valve in the pipe line, a rotatable shaft, a two arm lever on the shaft, a pivotally mounted lever arm on the liquidvalve operable by one of the two arms of saidlever when the shaft; is rotated in one direction to open the liquid valve to permit the liquid to flow. from the tank. tothe pistons and operable by the other arm. ofthe said two armed lever when the shaft is rotated in the opposite direction to open the said liquid valve to permit the return of the liquid fromthe pistons to the tank, a second lever arm on the shaft, another lever arm on the air valve, a chain connecting the said last-mentioned lever arms to operate the air valve from closed to open position for putting the liquid-under air pressure only when the liquid valve is operated to permit the ii w of liquid to the pistons, and a loading plat form carried by said'hollow pistons.

2. In a vehicle having a doorway in one wall thereof, a device for facilitating the loading and unloading of goods from the floor of said truck to a sidewalk or vice versa, said device comprising a pair of spaced apart cylinders supported on said truck near said doorway, a piston vertically slidably mounted in each of said cylinders, means for operating said device for so sliding said pistons, a, platform pivotally mounted at its rear end to the lower end of said pistons, foldable means pivotally secured to the sides of the platform near the front thereof and to the pistons above the platform pivot to adapt the platform to be folded and unfolded at said doorway, said parts being so arranged that when in unfolded position the said platform is flush'with the floor of the truck when the pistons are in their upper position and near the sidewalk when the said pistons are in their lowermost position, a board pivoted at the front of the platform, and releasable latching means for maintaining said board in vertical position when the platform has been loaded, the said board being adapted to be swung outwardly when unlatched to form a ramp from the platform to the sidewalk when said platform is in its lowered position.

3. A device according to claim 2' wherein said board is also foldable against the top surface of the platform.

4. A device according to claim 2 wherein said board is also foldable against the top surface of the platform, and means for releasably locking said platform in folded position.

HENRY J. SATSKY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

